Marionettes, masks and shadows — John Stuart Mill — John Shaqi
Marionettes, masks and shadows
John Stuart Mill · en
_Hands._ Arms, hands, legs, and feet are yet to be constructed. Let us
begin with the hand. Its length is that of the face from the chin to the
line of the hair. Into a piece of wood drive seven brads as in the
illustration. Take a piece of light-weight copper wire, such as a strand
of aërial wire, about thirty inches long, and attach one end to the
lower wrist brad. You then loop the wire around the brads loosely, in
the order indicated, beginning and ending with “A.” When you return to
“A,” lift the wire loops from the brads carefully, holding the wrist
loop. Now thread the loose end of the wire through these wrist loops in
order to fasten them together. With the loose end, you now begin the
tying of the two wires of the thumb together by going under and over as
the illustration indicates. From the thumb, go to the fingers, taking
each in turn. After tying the little finger, return to the wrist and
wrap it three or four times before cutting off the last bit of wire.
This wire frame corresponds to the bony structure of the hand. Small
pieces of plasticine or modeling wax are now applied, long narrow strips
to the fingers, heavier strips for the palm of the hand. A hand should
show character. Keep this in mind as you are shaping it. The last thing
to be done is the wrapping of the hand with quarter-inch white tape.
Begin at the wrist, then wrap the thumb, carry the tape back to the
wrist, then wrap the palm of the hand. When the hand has been carefully
wrapped, then take a needle and thread and close any openings, such as
those at the ends of the fingers or in the palms of the hands. The hand
can now be pressed into any number of lifelike positions.
_Arms._ The upper and lower arm are made in one piece from white
stockings or any other soft white material. The illustration indicates
fairly wide seams. Begin your sewing at the wrist and follow the arrow
around and back to the wrist. Now stuff the upper arm rather lightly
with cotton. When you reach the elbow, stop and sew twice across,
leaving one-fourth inch between the rows. This will make the arm
flexible at the elbow. Then stuff the lower arm until it is quite firm.
Into the open wrist insert and sew the hand. Attach a small piece of
tape to the top of the upper arm and then tack it to the shoulder piece
as in the illustration.
[Illustration: [Legs]]
A _Wire construction for foot._
B _Stocking leg and foot. Shows upright piece of wood and
piece of lead shaped to the bottom of the foot. This gives
the necessary weight for the lower leg._
C _Stocking barefoot leg. Use wire foot construction, lead to
weight the foot and upright piece of wood. Fill out foot
and leg with cotton and soft rags._
D _Wooden leg and foot. Strip of leather at the knee hinge._